1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved lock member latch for use in material handling, wire-mesh containers.
2. Description of Prior Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,086, there is described the construction of a collapsible and stackable material handling container which contains latches to secure the front wall erected with the side walls whereby all of the walls of the container are locked in a position of use. When the containers are not used, the walls are collapsed one on top of the other to form a pallet-type folded structure so that these structures can be piled one on top of the other. It has been found that when the walls are collapsed one on top of the other, often, the handle member of the latches becomes bent, twisted or broken for the reason that the handle member often becomes lodged and arrested in an angulated position above the front wall which is the first wall to be collapsed on the bottom wall. The side walls are then hinged on the rear wall and these three walls are then released to fall onto the bottom wall. This heavy load is applied to the handle member and bends it or breaks it. Reference is also made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,150 which shows the construction of a latch for such containers. FIG. 5 of that Patent illustrates the movement of the handle of the latch and shows that when it is fully open, the connecting web of the handle will abut against the wire mesh of the front wall to maintain it in an open position. Therefore, when the other walls are collapsed on this bottom wall with the handle in an open position, the handle will become damaged. Because of this, often, the container can no longer be locked in a useful position and the entire container is rendered inoperative.